Deliciously Scandalous
by dolphingirl0113
Summary: [TKM Oneshots] The court of Inuyasha has known more than its fair share of scandal. So here are the rich details of romance, passion, and woe barely touched upon in the original story, now in great enough detail to satisfy even the most avid gossip.
1. Worthy Of Love

**Author's Notes:** Okay, so this is the first of a series of oneshots I've been meaning to write as little augmentations for "The King's Mistress". There are lots of little side stories within the overall story, and all of you have been asking me for more details about various couples, events, or individuals, so I figured this was the place for it. As such, I figured I would allow all of you, the readers, to tell me what you want me to write. I promise I will do my best to write as many of the things you want to see as I can, so long as the inspiration is there for me as well.

Here are the rules, however, since I do have a few basic guidelines I want to follow (I know, I know, rules are overrated).

1) Please only request things that fall within the range of the story itself. I will not write A/Us to this story, a.k.a. other pairings, etc. You can do so yourself if you wish if you ask me first, but I will not.

2) If you have a specific thing you want detailed, be specific with me. I can't read your mind. So if you say something vague like "elaborate more on the relationship between Sango and Miroku" I won't have anything to go on.

3) DO NOT ASK ME TO WRITE A LEMON. I won't. You all know my opinions on this as I have stated it several times. End of story.

4) Oneshots only please; I'm not looking to write an entire new story. I'm already working on the outline for "Lord of the West". I can't handle more than one spin-off/sequel/prequel at one time.

So that's that. With those rules in mind, if there's anything you want detailed or clarified, just let me know!

This first oneshot was actually requested by several people, so I don't have a specific reader it's dedicated to. It revolves around Kouga and Ayame, and how their relationship began to change as Kouga learned to let Kagome go. Several people asked me for more details about his grief process regarding their relationship, and more Kouga/Ayame fluff. While this isn't exactly fluffy, I do feel it's a step in the right direction, and if people want more just ask and I can probably write another one in the future.

Enjoy!

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Title: Worthy of Love 

Author: dolphingirl0113

One-shot

Rating: PG (rated for extremely mild language and any implied adult themes)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, nor do I take credit for any of the historical facts, ideas, or realities mentioned below.

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Summer had come at last, its warmth melting all but the highest peaks of the Northern Mountains, the clear blue lake full once more thanks to all the pure, fresh melted snow. Reflected in the still surface of the water was the incredible blue of the sky, uninterrupted by clouds, allowing the sun to cast its friendly rays across the cheeks of any who ventured outside without intrusion of any kind.

To Ayame, summer had always been the most beautiful time in the North. Granted, she hadn't really lived anywhere else, but then again she was normally so incredibly happy with her homeland that such a reality didn't bother her. Or at least, it never used to.

Sitting on the green grass surrounding the clear blue lake, gazing out across the still water to the forest beyond, the great castle of the North to her back, the young wolf demon rested her chin on her knees and sighed. A slight breeze responded, blowing several strands of her brilliant red hair off her back and in front of her face. She paid them no mind, her heart too heavy to care as her emerald-green eyes flicked to her left, seeing her longtime friend with his legs extended before him, his head bowed in desolation, a letter in his hand.

Kouga…

Her eyes clouded with pain and Ayame felt as though someone were physically punching her in the gut.

He was the love of her life. The man she had sworn loyalty to for all time, no matter who her parents decided to marry her off to in the end. And yet now that he could actually be hers, she had never felt further from having what she yearned for.

It had been almost seven months since Kagome had left him with nothing but a letter explaining where she'd gone. And yet rather than moving on, Ayame felt like Kouga was becoming more solitary than ever. Three months ago when he'd finally stopped carrying _the letter _around in his breast pocket she'd hoped he was finally starting to mend…but then the announcement of Kagome and Inuyasha's marriage had arrived, and ever since the wolf king had been in even worse shape than before, taking extended and unnecessary trips around his province, managing everything from crop output to the fur, spice, and valuables trade…all things he normally left to his trusted advisers.

In other words, he'd been slowly burying himself further and further in his supposed duties as King (duties he had always happily left to others better educated and suited for such things), and when he wasn't working he could be found in one of his many solitary retreats sulking.

Something had to be done. But Ayame had no idea what he needed. She felt like she'd already tried everything, but none of it seemed to work. At first she'd decided to just give him space, waiting for something…though she'd have been lying if she'd said she knew exactly what she was waiting for. Unfortunately, if it had been for Kouga to suddenly wake up one morning and ask her to marry him, she had been sorely mistaken.

He had slowly welcomed her back into his life as his friend, for which she was grateful since he seemed to reject just about anyone else in his life, but never any more than that. A friend.

Then she'd thought perhaps he just needed a nudge in the proper direction, showing him she was interested, naively hoping she had perhaps simply been too subtle before (and ignoring the reality that had she been any more obvious she would have been forced to post a sign on his back saying "Property of Ayame"). And so every day for nearly a month she'd risen and dressed in her finest gowns of white, ivory, green, red, and orange silk, taking care to wash her hair daily and brush it into a shimmering mass of fiery red. She'd even tried wearing makeup occasionally; subtly drawing attention to her full red lips and her stunning emerald eyes.

But none of it had worked. Ayame had practically had every other man in the Northern province crawling towards her on his knees begging for her hand in marriage by the end of that month, and she could still recall a few of the more heated proposals with a shudder of dismay…yet it hadn't been enough.

Still, if nothing else, it had demonstrated for her the reality that Kouga's rejection had nothing to do with her physically undesirable appearance and everything to do with his unfailing love for another woman. It was a small victory, to be sure, and one she would have traded for his love in a heartbeat, but even so it had made Ayame much more aware of herself; of the subtle sway of her hips she hadn't realized she possessed, of the toned muscles of her arms and her naturally slender waist and muscular abdomen, and of her healthy ivory skin and stunning hair and eyes.

She now knew she was beautiful. Knew her grandfather spoke the truth when he insisted she could marry any man she wanted…and yet knew he was wrong too, because he, like everyone else, didn't even suspect that the one man she wanted was the one man who she still apparently held no sway over.

And, in all honesty, who could blame him? Not even Ayame, with her unwavering love and dreams and hopes and desires, could truly blame her King for loving Kagome Higurashi.

When she'd first learned that they were coming to the North she'd dreaded meeting the woman Kouga was to marry like the coming of a plague, and then when she'd finally arrived Ayame had done all she could to hate the woman with every fiber of her being. But then Kagome had looked upon her with pity, and wept her own tears of heartbreak, and the wolf woman had found it as impossible as everyone else to dislike their supposed future Queen. Even now no one blamed Kagome for leaving; she had been too kind, too sincere, too passionate, too merciful, and too perfect to blame.

That was truly saying something, since wolves were fiercely territorial and loyal to their leaders, yet they all found it in their hearts to forgive Kagome for leaving their beloved King.

How could Ayame possibly compete with that? How could she hope to ever make Kouga forget Kagome's smile or her beautiful face, or that graceful turn of her head and her clear, bright eyes?

Sighing again and feeling her chin sink with even more weight onto her knees, the redhead realized it was a hopeless battle. If she couldn't forget Kagome, how could Kouga ever move past his feelings for her?

"Do you suppose she'll be happy with him?"

Ayame blinked and glanced over at Kouga, at first unable to overcome her shock that he had actually said something without her poking and prodding him to the point of death first. As such she was unable to process what he had said. "What?"

The handsome wolf king turned his head and trained his clear blue eyes on her face, his jet-black hair blowing out behind him clasped in its usual ponytail atop his head, a hide band around his head with the mark of his family in the center in red, his pristine white shirt tucked in loosely at the waistband of his black pants. His feet were clad in furred boots that matched the headband, and overall he looked relaxed save for the strain on his face and the way his right hand continually clenched the letter in his hands. It was the announcement of the impending wedding, a secret from the general public, now only a few weeks away.

"I said do you think she'll be happy with him?"

Ayame didn't have to wonder which she Kouga was referring to, and desperately groped about for patience to help her friend grieve in whatever way he needed. "Yes," she replied honestly.

He flinched openly at that, but didn't reprimand her honesty. That was one thing that had always been present in their relationship, first because they hadn't gotten along and felt brutal honesty was the best way to try and throw barbs at one another, and then as respect had developed between them it had seemed the only way to interact with integrity. "Why do you think that?"

She shrugged and looked back towards the lake, hugging her knees tighter, searching for the best words to use. She had never been nearly as eloquent as some (like Kagome came the unbidden thought) with her words. But then again, neither had Kouga so hopefully he wouldn't mind. "Because she loves him, and he obviously loves her too." She tried to smile as she turned to look back at Kouga again. "That has to count for something, right?"

Ayame's voice was soft and gentle as though she were speaking to a mere child, though affection was heavy behind every word as well. She felt her smile fade again however when he didn't respond, simply sighing again and staring out at the lake like a lovesick puppy that had lost his purpose in life.

She didn't know what to do anymore. She'd tried everything, used every talent she possessed (including her feminine wiles), and none of it had brought him out of his funk.

Maybe she really was being a fool in thinking she could stand to wait for him. Maybe he would never love again. She didn't really want to marry the shell of a man only, with his heart forever tied to one woman…perhaps that meant she didn't quite mean it when she said all she wanted was to be near him. But was that so selfish or wrong? Did that really mean her love was any less potent or strong than Kagome's was for Inuyasha?

So what if Kagome had run after him and insisted she would stay by his side forever no matter what. Ayame simply refused to live that way. She could perhaps accept being second best in his heart, but she refused to be a fool either and live in a one-sided relationship where all he ever saw was Kagome's face and Kagome's eyes and heard Kagome's voice and Kagome's laughter.

Her emerald eyes flared at the thought.

She was not so inferior. She was Ayame, the daughter of one of the wealthiest and oldest families in the North, a pureblooded wolf demon with honor and respect and pride flowing through her veins. And if Kouga could not get past his love for Kagome Higurashi, then perhaps he wasn't the man for her anyway.

With her anger propelling her forward, Ayame rose to her feet and started to walk away. "I'll see you at dinner I suppose," she finally said, and he turned to look at her in surprise.

"You're leaving me?"

The utter confusion in his eyes was enough to send her over the edge. Months of inner torment and heartbreak, and he hadn't even noticed because he was too preoccupied with his own loss to care. "Yes, I'm leaving you. I can't stand this silence any more, Kouga, and I can't stand to simply sit by and watch my best friend since I was four years old waste away his life pining for something that can't be his. You're better than this, Kouga! You're so much better! You're usually so strong, and so confident, almost to the point of arrogance! But this…" She gestured about wildly with her hands, indicating his general person. "This man you've become is unfamiliar to me. I don't know you any more. The Kouga I know and care about would stand up and walk forward and keep living, not sit around and mope all day. And I can't take it any more."

He blinked and stared at her in utter shock for several seconds while she took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart and raging temper, wondering if perhaps she had just blown any chance of ever getting him to care for her. Kagome had been so kind and delicate and fragile and human and in need of his protection and…

A smirk turned up the corner of his mouth, and she thought she saw something sparkle in his eyes, which had been so dull for the last several months. Her thoughts froze, and she decided whatever she was doing must be working, and instead chose to hold onto the last remnants of her anger, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him for all she was worth in the process. "You'd better not be smirking at me."

And then he started to chuckle, and Ayame felt her own lips twitch in response. "It's just that…that…" He stammered, clearly unable to finish his thoughts.

"It's just that what Kouga?" She felt laughter bubbling up from somewhere in her heart, lightening the load that had been growing on her shoulders for so long.

Their eyes met and she saw a glimmer of true joy in his eyes. "Kagome used to always snap at me like that."

Ayame felt her laughter instantly vanish, realizing that yet again it was not herself he was seeing, but rather Kagome. And yet, suddenly, she was intrigued as well. Kagome had actually talked back? But she'd thought that, being a human, Kagome had always…

"Like what? Kagome actually yelled at you sometimes?"

He laughed outright at that, and without realizing what she was doing Ayame sat back down by his side, much closer than before, in a silent gesture for him to elaborate. "Sometimes? Kagome was always yelling at me about something. And if she wasn't yelling at me, she was yelling at Inuyasha or Miroku or Shippou. Frankly, the only people she never seemed to yell at were Sango or Kikyou." Kouga's laughter began to dissipate as he sat back on the heels of his hands, tilting his head to look up at the sky. "She was a real strange combination of everything. And each time I thought I had her figured out, she'd throw another surprise my way. Frankly the only emotion I think she was incapable of feeling was true hate." He chuckled again and turned to look at Ayame. "I mean, she liked to think she could hate people as much as the rest of us, but she couldn't. And that's what was so adorable about her; most of us are desperate to let go of our hate, and Kagome sometimes seemed just as desperate to feel it."

Even Ayame couldn't help but chuckle at that, but also at the reality that she was sitting with the man she loved while listening to him talk about the love of his life as though she were perfectly fine with the fact that he saw her as nothing more than a friend.

But strangely enough, some of the pain she'd been feeling earlier had lifted. Curious, she decided to continue with the conversation. "What was she like then?"

He blinked and looked at her. "Don't you know? I mean, you met her and I saw you talk to her several times…"

"Yeah, but I only saw one side of her, Kouga, and that was obviously a very misguided, disillusioned side of her at best. I mean, I honestly thought she never got angry and was docile and somewhat fragile in spite of her inner resolve."

He laughed again at her honest response and looked back out at the lake. "You obviously didn't know her then."

She nudged his shoulder and grinned. "I think that's what I said, jerk. Now stop laughing at me and answer the question."

He sobered slightly, but at least the light didn't fade from his eyes as he did so. It was a start. "Well…what do you want to know?"

Ayame shrugged and allowed her feet to sprawl in front of her, wagging her feet back and forth, clad only in simple gold slippers that accented the deep green velvet of her skirts. It occurred to her that she hadn't really sat with him like that since before he'd left to meet Kagome for the first time, and that had been almost eighteen months ago, long before Kagome had actually come to the High Court.

It was nice. And maybe that's what she'd been missing in the entire equation. She first had to help Kouga regain what he had lost in terms of his heart, recognizing that maybe he would never entirely be whole again, and then, once she'd done what she could, she could maybe start to hope for more…but that would only come with patience and her own love for him.

"What did you, um…" She bit her lip. "What did you love most about her?"

Kouga jerked his head around to face her, and she felt his intense gaze on her, a crimson stain painting her cheeks as she also felt a familiar desire pool in her belly. Did he really have to look at her like that?

"Do you really want to know, Ayame?"

She blinked. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't want to know, Kouga."

"But wouldn't it be, um…hard for you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, just that…you…I mean, the way you feel might make it hard to…" He swallowed; obviously embarrassed by what he was trying to say, but she refused to let him off the hook, instead giving him an intense emerald stare of her own. "I know I wouldn't like to hear Kagome tell me how she felt about Inuyasha," he finally said in a rush.

Ayame blinked, her stern expression faltering as she tried to comprehend what she had just heard. Was he saying that he knew how she felt? Was he really not as dense as she'd always thought him to be? But then…if he really weren't, then how could he possibly have not seen the fact that Kagome was so hopelessly in love with someone else?

Or had he seen?

A new thought struck her. Had he been willing to marry a woman who could never love him the way he loved her?

She felt tears in her eyes. Kouga loved Kagome that much? How could she ever compete with that?

Seeing her tears, Kouga immediately rushed to remedy the situation in the only way he knew how: by talking. "You see! I knew you couldn't have me be honest with you! I knew it! This is why I haven't been talking to you lately, because I knew I could only talk about Kagome, and that would make it hard on you, and while I don't love you that way, I do care about you, and I don't want to make all this even worse for you, and…" He stopped when she put a finger over his lips, a kind smile on her face even as her eyes were swimming with tears.

"It's not that, Kouga. I do love you, and I have for a long time, but that doesn't mean I can't hear you talk about Kagome." She looked away, realizing that was the first time she'd ever told him how she felt. "Honestly, it's more that I didn't realize just how much you loved her. I guess a part of me truly thought you loved her more out of convenience than because of anything real."

Kouga's eyes softened as he looked at his longtime friend. "I'm sorry, Ayame."

She shook her head. "You shouldn't be sorry, Kouga. It's not your fault. Like Kagome said to me, we don't choose who we love, it just happens. I know she wished she could love you, just like I'm sure you wish you could love me…then nothing would be wrong. But love isn't supposed to be convenient, right?"

He smiled. "When did you get so wise, Ayame?"

She winked in spite of her tears, lifting her chin, the gesture born of the spunk he was more familiar with. "You seem to be asking me that a lot lately."

"Maybe that's because you've grown up a lot. You've changed."

Her eyes looked away. "In a good way?"

Kouga sighed long and low, glancing down at the letter in his hand, flapping lightly in the breeze. "In another life, Ayame, I could love you right now just as you are. And I don't ever want you to change, because you are wonderful. But…not yet. I want to love you; I know that would make all this easier. But…"

"But then you wouldn't be you, Kouga, and you wouldn't have loved Kagome as much as you do if you were able to be over her so easily." Ayame put a hand on his shoulder in a sign of friendship. "I think it's probably comforting to know you weren't willing to give your life to just any woman. You really loved her. And whatever girl ends up having you for herself in the end is going to be all the more lucky for it, because she really will have you heart and soul."

He looked up and met her gaze again. "I promise, when I'm able, Ayame, and when my heart is ready…"

"Don't, Kouga." She shook her head. "Don't make promises like that. You don't know what your heart will do. So please don't promise me something like that. I couldn't bear it."

"Okay." He looked away like a chastised little boy.

"So do you want to talk about her now?"

"If you don't mind."

"I wouldn't have asked if I couldn't handle it, Kouga." She gave him another encouraging smile, and this time he returned it hesitantly. "So…tell me the first time you knew you loved her."

She saw his eyes glaze over in memory as he started speaking. "Well, I liked to think I loved her even before I met her. Everything I heard was so wonderful, Ayame. But I realized the moment I met her that what I'd felt before wasn't even a pale shade of what love could be. She was so incredibly wonderful. She smiled, and I felt like my entire world came alive in a way I hadn't thought possible. Kagome had this way of…"

Ayame found herself leaning back and genuinely listening to what he had to say, which surprised her since she had really thought it would be painful, and that she was lying when she told Kouga it wasn't. In truth, the more she heard about Kagome, the easier it was to accept the way Kouga felt about her. Selfishly she had wanted to remain ignorant of Kagome's true personality because it was easier to hate an inferior woman, but now she saw that to heal and move on it was easier knowing she was in truth a remarkable woman who was worthy of Kouga's love.

A strong gust of wind whipped through the trees and caught the paper in his hand, but Kouga didn't seem to notice, engrossed as he was in talking, and so only Ayame saw as the announcement of Kagome's wedding blew away and into the center of the lake, landing on the surface before slowly disappearing forever.

It was going to be a long, slow road for both of them, but Ayame hoped that, in time, he could come to see her in even half the light he saw Kagome. She knew if he could, she would be content and satisfied to give him her life and her heart in return. And while they had a long way to go, at least they were talking again. It wasn't much, but it was a start.


	2. King of Her Heart

**Author's Notes:** I know, I know, you all want to see an update for "Impossible Dreams"…and I promise I am working on that, but for the moment I couldn't ignore this idea that popped into my head. You all had such wonderful ideas! And I promise to try and write about them all!

Anyway, this one is about the relationship between Sesshoumaru and Rin. It isn't super big emotional tear-jerkers with the two of them yet, but I feel like I have to get used to writing them first since they had some of the least story time. I feel like I vaguely understand them, but, in all honesty, Sesshoumaru is a tough guy to write (which is why I probably usually just keep him as a supporting character only…just admitted one of my weaknesses…oh well…). He's frankly more difficult than Inuyasha, because he does have emotions, but he's not exactly open with them, so it's always difficult for me to write any scenes where he is expected to show affection. Anyway, I hope you like the angle I take.

**This one-shot is dedicated to: **lallalallala

Enjoy!

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Title: King of Her Heart 

Author: dolphingirl0113

One-shot

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, nor to I take credit for any historical facts, realities, or ideas I may use.

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King Inutaisho was dead, leaving his country to mourn and fear the future for the first time in many human generations. He had been the people's first High King, and now, with his death, they were reminded of the reality that there were no rules or laws or protocol to fall back on and prevent any kind of civil strife in the streets. He had been a beloved King in the last century of his life, respected and admired by all; seen as invincible, convincing humans and demons alike with his mere presence that so long as he remained King no harm could come to their country. 

But now their beloved ruler was dead, and the people were left in chaos, wondering if there could ever be another to replace him.

The tension was mounting daily, and so, in the end, it was decided by the deceased King's closest advisors that the traditional week of mourning would have to be interrupted by the reading of Inutaisho's will…because it seemed that would be the only way to assure the crown would pass to a rightful heir before new wars could break out across the country in retaliation. Better to do it before the monarchs of the other sectors truly realized that the great dog demon they had feared and admired for so long was gone forever; better to do it while his powerful shadow still loomed large over the minds of any who even considered attempting a bid at the throne.

So on the fifth day of mourning, as the legendary demon King's body lay in state for all to see in the great royal cathedral, waiting to be carried to his final resting place in the royal vault beside his deceased wife Izayoi, his two sons, both rightful heirs to the throne, did their own restless waiting among those of the living, sequestered in their private chambers until they were summoned by Myouga and Totousai for the reading of Inutaisho's will.

The younger of the two, Inuyasha, only desired for Sesshoumaru to be officially named the heir to the throne at last, as was his right as the first born, so that he could be excused from the public eyes of the court and instead retire to the wide open expanse of the Western region where he had been born and raised. He had no desire to be King, nor did he for one moment believe the people would sit by and accept him as such. He was a hanyou, a filthy half-breed, and always would be.

No. They would never accept him.

Not that he cared.

In some ways Inuyasha knew that his father's death was a blessing for him, because it truly meant that his duty as a potential heir to the High Throne was over, and as much as the hanyou prince had loved, admired, and respected his father, he could not deny the small whisper of relief that was in his heart knowing at long last he could escape the scornful eyes of the court.

Yes, all would be well.

The sting of the public's rejection had long since gone numb, turning him bitter, and Inuyasha longed for the open freedom the Western plains would offer him, hoping it would heal his wounded heart and allow him to grieve for his father's death on his own terms. He had never been one for social activities or politics. He just didn't have the brains for it which was why, despite the way his stomach heaved at the thought of being beneath Sesshoumaru in rank and status, Inuyasha was able to accept what was coming…even look forward to it.

And so, believing his worries were over, he sank into the cushions of one of his plush red velvet couches and fondly looked at a portrait of his mother and father while he waited, his ears flicking towards the far left wall occasionally as he heard the sound of soft footsteps in the chambers beside his own, though he couldn't imagine what had Sesshoumaru so anxious; nothing ever seemed to ruffle his older brother's metaphorical feathers.

Perhaps he was actually nervous about ruling the country now that the time had finally come?

Inuyasha shook his head.

That was as impossible as was the idea that _he_ would be crowned High King. Sesshoumaru had been raised from the moment he was born to be a great ruler just like his father, and never once in all the years he had walked the earth had he shown even the slightest fear or trepidation at the magnitude of his duty.

His ears flicked again, and Inuyasha furrowed his brow. Was something wrong?

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As the firstborn son of the great King Inutaisho, Sesshoumaru had been taught since the age of two what it meant to carry responsibility. In the centuries since, as he'd first fought with his father on the battlefield and then later stood by his side throughout the building and shaping of their country, he had also learned a great deal about warfare, politics, and, above all else, the value (and necessity) of trusting his instincts. 

Which was precisely why Sesshoumaru was suddenly so nervous.

Something wasn't right. He could feel it. Ever since Myouga and Totousai, his father's two must trusted advisers, had announced that they would read Inutaisho's will before the King was officially put to rest, the pair of old men had been avoiding him like humans avoided the plague, ducking through doorways when they saw him approach or nervously whispering to one another as he walked by. And what made matters worse was the fact that Sesshoumaru couldn't even begin to comprehend what would have them so nervous.

Was it something to do with the will? Had his father been foolish enough to not legalize the document before his death and they now feared retaliation?

Sesshoumaru grunted. Not only was that thought unlikely since Inutaisho had been known for his attention to the smallest details (part of why he had been such a deadly commander throughout his centuries at war), but if that was in fact the problem surely Myouga and Totousai knew that Sesshoumaru would never tolerate another trying to take his birthright from him. His father had earned the right to call himself High King, and had also earned the right to pass such an honor to his firstborn son. Any pretenders to the throne would not be tolerated.

So what could possibly be wrong?

He heard a soft knock on the main door to his chambers, and bellowed a brief 'Enter!' knowing who it was even before she stepped into the room, though he hid such a reality even from her, his face carefully turned away, his stiff back covered by the curtain of his long silver hair.

The soft scent of vanilla caught the breeze blowing from a nearby window, and to Sesshoumaru it was as though the room had suddenly been filled with light whereas before it had been dark, never mind the fact that it was the middle of the day and that the crisp winter afternoon was clear and sunny in spite of the cold temperature.

Her soft footsteps approached him, and with her approach the scent of her skin grew stronger. He could see her clearly in his mind even before he finally turned around, savoring the feel of her presence and relishing in the one instant he allowed his golden eyes to soften before he donned his familiar mask once more to face her.

And then he turned, and there she was.

Rin.

She had been a servant of the royal family for nearly eight years; having come to work at the High Court after Sesshoumaru saved her life when she was just ten years old. He still didn't know why he had saved her that day, or what had then driven him to take her back to his home and ask his father to find a place for her among their already massive household staff, but he could still vividly recall the way something in his heart had shifted and turned over when he'd first glimpsed her large brown eyes.

They had been full of sadness then, her village near the northern province destroyed by a renegade band of wolf demons. Her life had somehow, miraculously been spared, but when Sesshoumaru had found her she had been in tears on the ground, clutching the skirts of a dead woman he could only assume was her mother. He had lifted her small body and cradled her to his chest without thinking, as though instinctively his heart and soul understood a connection between them that he logically did not, and ever since Sesshoumaru had assumed the role as her silent guardian and protector against any who would threaten her happiness.

It had paid off, because over the next several years the veil of sadness and pain had faded from her eyes to leave nothing behind but a vibrant young woman who enjoyed laughter, dancing, and dreaming of her future.

Now, at the age of seventeen, she stood before him dressed in a simple yellow servant's gown looking as young, innocent, and beautiful as ever, her pale ivory skin warm with a rosy tint to her cheeks, her long silky soft brown hair currently pulled into a messy bun atop her head with a few wispy curls escaping to frame her face, her beautiful, full red lips curved upward in a smile of genuine affection and accenting the warmth radiating from her large brown eyes.

Sesshoumaru felt the usual uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach as he gazed upon her perfect face, and yet again went through the extensive list of reasons why he should not feel such things for her, including the reality that she was a human and nothing more than a servant. As the future High King it was his responsibility to marry well and provide heirs with pure, noble blood.

No…she could never be his, though that didn't stop him from growling inwardly at the thought of some other man claiming her instead.

"Rin…" He finally breathed her name in his usual steady, even voice, the deep sound perfectly masking the inner turmoil her presence caused. "Was there something you needed?"

She blinked and he saw her cheeks color slightly more than what could be considered a normal healthy glow. Looking down at her feet momentarily, she finally chanced a second look at his face as she spoke. "I…I know this might sound ridiculous, my lord, but…I've felt like your mind has been troubled these last few days, and not just about the death of your father, and…well, I was worried about you. Is there anything at all I can do to help ease your mind?"

Sesshoumaru felt the now-familiar surprise at the way she was so clearly able to read his personality and the inner workings of his mind. To most he wore a stone mask over his face at all times, his eyes, unlike his brother Inuyasha, completely closed off from the rest of the world so that all they saw was a cold, unfeeling prince who would one day carry the responsibility of their safety and wellbeing on his shoulders. He cared not that they whispered behind his back about his cruel and unfeeling nature; frankly, it was easier if they supposed him cruel and heartless, because then they would always assume the worst of him and when he actually did something right he would truly be rewarded rather than have it merely be considered a normal occurrence.

But whether it was because he allowed his mask to slip away when he was with her, or if it was because of the strange (but not wholly unpleasant) connection he had felt between them the moment he'd first seen her all those years ago surrounded by the rubble of her village and the bodies of her parents, Rin always seemed to know his every thought, hope, and fear.

And what was even more peculiar was the reality that despite private man who valued solitude and a certain amount of anonymity, Sesshoumaru actually found that he enjoyed Rin's company and the fact that he could be himself and she would always understand without lengthy explanations.

She wasn't like other women, demon or human alike. She didn't require petty words of flattery or silly little gifts to keep her happy. She was vibrant, outgoing, and kind, but when near him she always understood his needs, and even if she spent hours telling him about her life, she was never offended when all he offered back were brief responses.

Rin…if only she could be his…

"Thank you for your concern, Rin, but I am fine." He saw her frown, and knew he'd said something wrong.

"I wish you wouldn't like to me, my lord." His eyes narrowed slightly in confusion, but she ignored it as she continued. "I won't insist you tell me what is bothering you, but I just want you to know that you can trust me with your troubles. Surely even you would benefit from having someone to share your burdens with."

Sesshoumaru sighed, though it was soft enough and subtle enough that she didn't catch it, and turned to look towards one of the many windows in his great chambers, all his furniture covered in pristine white velvet and highlighted by a royal blue on the fringes, his desks and bookcases stained black. It was elegant and austere, the white adding a sterile feeling that would make any other than Rin feel unwelcome and out of place…which was precisely the point. Only she was ever permitted into his rooms in an informal sense, and he intended to keep it that way.

None but her…ever…

Only Rin.

The irrational thought came and went before Sesshoumaru even realized its significance, which was probably a blessing.

"It is not my intention to hide things from you, Rin," he finally stated aloud, though he still kept himself turned away from her hauntingly beautiful eyes. "I merely do not wish to trouble you with matters that I frankly do not wish to concern myself with either. It is not fair to you."

He could practically feel her warm and patient smile on his back as she replied. "You know that nothing you tell me would ever be a burden, my lord. I may serve your entire family, but you know as well as I that my first and only true loyalty is to you, as it will always be."

It was not the first time she had said such a thing, yet Sesshoumaru felt the familiar flash of pride and possessive power in such a statement. She belonged to him…and not only that, but she acknowledged it as much as he did.

And then his smug grin faded as quickly as it had come, and Sesshoumaru felt suddenly fearful of her presence. When had he come to feel so strongly for her? When in the almost eight years they had been together had his sense of honor and duty spilled into friendship, and then finally into that elusive emotion he was slowly learning to identify as love?

It was no coincidence; her very soul cried out for his at times, as though fate had placed her on earth simply to be his comfort and his strength and his support whenever he needed her. And damn it all, it worked too well. She never failed to cheer him up, bolster his confidence, sweep away his doubts, allay his fears, or make him feel like he was important as more than just the prince and heir to the throne.

He loved her.

But as a human, and as a servant, she could never be his. That reality yet again thrust its way into his mind, and he wanted to groan in protest at the thought, settling instead for simply closing his eyes so she would not sense his troubled thoughts. "I thank you for your loyalty, Rin."

Her voice was soft in reply. "You know it is out of more than just loyalty that I speak, my lord."

The hidden meaning behind her words and her deep, velvety voice gave him pause, and he turned to look at her open, honest face once more, seeing her smile slightly as he did so. He had never needed anyone in his life, of which he had always been very proud…until he rescued her. Since then, he had needed Rin in his life as much as he required food and water to survive.

God…wasn't there some way he could keep her as his own? He couldn't guarantee that any other man would be safe if he dared encroach upon the woman Sesshoumaru's demonic instincts had claimed as his.

Perhaps she could be his mistress, with all the honor, glory, and prestige that followed such a title. After all, most royal marriages were born of politics while the true loves were always kept off to the side, showered with gifts, officially recognized with respect, but never quite high enough to be above a certain amount of scorn.

No.

Sesshoumaru could never do that to his Rin. She was too beautiful, too pure, and too kind to ever be asked to do such a thing. He knew she would say yes to make him happy…he knew she could probably withstand the scorn and jealousy of most of the women and the lewd comments and jokes of the men because she was strong that way…but he also knew that he loved her too much to ever put her in such a position in the first place.

So instead he would have to simply comfort himself with moments such as this one, where she was by his side and giving him what he needed most: her presence. He had enough self-control to at least try and convince himself he didn't really need anything else.

The comfortable silence between them was interrupted by a second, much firmer knock at the door, and this time the owner of the knock didn't wait for permission to enter, instead simply swinging open the door and revealing Totousai, the forger of all the royal swords of Inutaisho, along with one of the deceased King's oldest and most trusted advisers.

"Totousai," Sesshoumaru murmured the name as his trademark stone mask fell into place once more, Rin stiffening and lowering her head out of respect, as was expected of all servants in the palace.

"Good day to you, Your Highness," the old man replied without so much as a nod in Rin's direction, to which Sesshoumaru felt slightly annoyed, though he hid it well, knowing that just because he valued Rin as a person that didn't mean everyone else did. To most, she was nothing more than another of the hundreds of anonymous servants at court. "I come with news."

"It is time to read my father's will then?"

"Not just yet. But the news I bring does have to do with the instructions your father left behind following his death."

Sesshoumaru felt himself stiffen slightly in response to that, though his posture was already ramrod straight meaning neither Rin nor the old man seemed to notice. The uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach was growing again, the calm Rin had brought with her quickly fading away, and in spite of his better judgment Sesshoumaru instinctively found himself subtly shifting his body so that he moved closer to her. As always reading his needs, Rin also moved so that only a few inches separated them, her head not even coming close to reaching his chin so that instead she was almost nestled in the crook of his right shoulder, where his one good arm remained resting at his side in a misleading look of relaxation and calm.

"Why can this not wait then until the will is officially presented to the court?"

Totousai shifted slightly in a now-familiar nervous gesture, and Seshoumaru felt his annoyance grow and wear down on his already paper-thin patience. Still, his face remained as impassive as ever so that the old sword smith was completely oblivious to the brewing storm standing fifteen feet away from him. "I'm afraid, Your Highness," he finally stated, looking everywhere but at Sesshoumaru, "That the shocking nature of this news would be too much to handle for the first time while in public." Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, and the old man plunghed forward. "Myouga and I both know how much you value your public image and your privacy, and as such we really believed telling you now, in private, was in your best interests."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed even more, though the rest of his face didn't change in the least. Not even the corners of his lips twitched to betray any signs of anger or distress. "I am not a child, old man, whose fate needs to be decided by the likes of either you or Myouga."

"With all due respect, Sesshoumaru, you are very much a child compared to Myouga and myself; need I remind you that we have lived for countless centuries while you have been on this earth hardly more than a few scant hundred years?"

The firstborn son of Inutaisho glowered, though he made no sign of trying to actually attack the old man before him, which seemed to greatly relieve Totousai. "Then by all means, _old man_, tell me what the nature of this bad news is so that I may return to the peace of my afternoon."

(Not that his afternoon had ever been peaceful…but only Rin needed to know that.)

Unfortunately, the answer he received was so far off from even the worst scenario he had imagined in his head that Sesshoumaru found himself standing, for the first time since he was a young boy, in complete and utter shock.

"You are not to inherit the throne." Totousai's voice was so firm and confident and final that it brokered no argument, but even so, Sesshoumaru felt his eyes go wide with first shock and then rage as he trained them on the old man who dared to stand before him and say such a thing.

"What did you say, old man?"

"I said that you are not to…"

"That was a rhetorical question, you fool!" His voice was very soft, but the power behind it was as intimidating as it would have been had he chosen to simply yell for all he was worth…perhaps even more so. Either way, Totousai, who usually rambled on and on about absolutely nothing, instantly went silent.

"Sesshoumaru…" The sound was soft and gentle, almost like a caress, and he felt as Rin placed one of her delicate hands on his arm. She never addressed him in such an informal way unless she felt it was absolutely necessary. As always, she was right, and that was all it took to bring him back to reality.

Straightening and allowing his raging blood to cool, Sesshoumaru's face once more reverted back to its usual blank expression. "So then…I assume Inuyasha is the one who will take father's place?"

"That is correct."

He snorted. "And you honestly believe the people of this country, whether demon or human, will accept his filthy mixed blood on the throne of the great Inutaisho?"

Totousasi shrugged his shoulders as though he didn't care…and knowing him, he probably didn't. He was the kind of man who preferred to wander, and had only ever been truly loyal to one man in his life…but that man was now dead, and no doubt the old forger would only stick around the High Court long enough to ensure the last wishes of said man were carried out before he left for good. "It is not my job to convince others to accept Inuyasha as their new King. It was Inutaisho's will, and that is all that matters. As his son, you above all others must accept that as the only truth."

"Then can you at least tell me what it was that I did to displease father to such an extent that he would place a half-breed above me in this manner?"

Totousai rolled his eyes toward the heavens as though incredibly annoyed and exasperated. "Who said he had to be displeased with you at all, Sesshoumaru? He merely thought Inuyasha is better suited for inheriting the throne, while you would be better suited for ruling the Western lands of your birth." The old man sighed dreamily. "I'd personally give anything to go back to the West. So many good memories. It's where I first met His Majesty, and where we shared all of our dreams for the country we built."

Sesshoumaru grunted. "This isn't about you, old man, and I'm hardly that sentimental. But if it was father's will, then I have no choice but to accept my duty." He felt like the words were heavy in his mouth, as though he could barely articulate his thoughts, and his mind felt numb. _Father_, he inwardly sighed,_ why did you betray me like this? What did I do to deserve such humiliation?_

Because humiliating was the kindest way to describe how Sesshoumaru currently viewed the stunning turn of events placed before him. What would the country think when they learned that the first born, pure blooded son of Inutaisho had been passed over for a stupid, pathetic, lowly half breed like Inuyasha?

He had been groomed for the throne his entire life…and yet now all that he had lived for, worked for, and planned for had been taken away with a few simple words out of the mouth of an aging and decrepit old man.

Glancing up again, he saw that Totousai was still standing in the same place in the middle of the main room, and without realizing what was happening Sesshoumaru bared his fangs. "If you're expecting gratitude, it's never coming. Get out, old man, before I use you as a means of getting rid of my anger at this injustice and blow to my honor."

The forger didn't have to be told twice, and immediately turned around and walked back towards the door. But he paused momentarily again as he put his hand on the knob. "I do hope you realize that you're expected to attend the official ceremony later today despite the fact that you already know the outcome."

This time Sesshoumaru snarled, though his eyes remained deadly calm in spite of the violent threat. "Get out, old man." And that was all it took to leave him in peace once more, the door shutting with a loud thud.

A long silence wrought with tension followed Totousai's less-than-graceful exit, and it wasn't until Sesshoumaru felt the small hand leave his arm that he was reminded of Rin's presence. He jerked sharply to look down as she pulled away and began to walk towards the door as well, and in that instant he felt something primal within his heart panic.

"Where are you going?" he demanded in a soft monotone.

Rin stopped and turned around, her eyes sad. "I assumed you would want to be alone."

They gazed at one another for several minutes in silence before Sesshoumaru actually took a few steps forward and extended his one arm out to call her back to him. "I am in need of your company." It was not at all romantic, but then again neither was he, and she knew that, because she responded to his gruff demand as though he had spoken it in the softest, kindest voice she had ever heard, rather than the actual voice, which was gruff and deep with pain and hurt and hardened by years of struggle.

Moving swiftly back across the room, Rin came to stand just beneath his shoulder again, looking up at him as though he were the most incredible man she had ever seen. And then she did something totally unexpected and new: she timidly wrapped her arms around his waist and delicately rested her cheek against his chest, standing on tiptoe so she could place her ear right over the steady beat of his heart. "You're just as much of a King to me without a crown as you would have been with one." Her voice was soft and honest.

Sesshoumaru felt himself simply stand there in shock with his right arm stiffly held slightly away from his body, unsure of whether or not to push her away because it was dangerous to be so near to her while they were alone and he was so angry and, though he'd never admit it, vulnerable.

It was the first time since she was that little girl and he'd lifted her into his arms that they had shared any such kind of physical contact. Before that moment it had been nothing more than her subtly brushing her hand over his, or squeezing his arm in what was always meant as a soothing gesture.

But never…this…

And she felt so right pressed against his body. He could hardly stand it. Emotions he'd always thought himself immune to flooded his mind, his heart, and his soul until he didn't know where one level of consciousness ended and another began. For the first time he truly felt like everything about his body was united in one purpose, for one reason…and that reason was currently pressed gently, almost tenderly, against his body.

Rin.

And he knew exactly what needed to be done to make him happy; to help him bear the humiliation and the shame of being, in a sense, rejected by his father in the eyes of the public. It hadn't been possible before, when he'd believed that he would become the High King, but now…well…no one would really care about the actions of a simple province ruler.

"You will marry me." The words slipped out from between his lips before he had a chance to second-guess himself. He was, after all, a man of instinct, and his instincts currently told him that while it would be difficult he could go on without the coveted throne of his father, but that he would never last without her at his side.

For her part, Rin simply squeezed him tighter momentarily, closing her eyes as she smiled warmly. It didn't matter to her that he hadn't even technically asked her to marry him, but had rather all but ordered her to instead. It was just who he was, and she loved him for it.

"When?" She finally asked.

"Not now. Not for a while." He used his one arm to push her back so that deep gold could mix with warm, clear brown. "And when we do get married, it will not be a large ceremony. It will be small and simple. I don't want anyone to have the chance to object." _You deserve more than that, _his inner voice added.

Rin gave him a kind smile. "I don't need a large ceremony, Sesshoumaru. All I want is to be your wife. Though honestly I never thought you'd ask me. I was beginning to lose hope." Tears welled up in her eyes. It was one of the few times he'd ever seen her cry, and the action spoke volumes about her feelings. He always admired the way she didn't waste sentiment on pointless endeavors; it made her emotions that much more real when she did show them. And as inexperienced as he was in matters of the heart, Sesshoumaru was still intelligent enough to recognize tears of joy and relief.

His expression didn't change, but his eyes softened subtly as he looked down at the woman who would one day be his wife. "If you trust me as you say you do, Rin, then know I will never forsake you for another." Sesshoumaru bowed his head slightly, formally. He wished he could offer her the reality that there had been no others in his life, as he knew there had been no others for her, but that was as untrue as it was unrealistic. He had lived for many generations of men already, and he knew she would not hold it against him for not remaining completely alone. However, he could offer her the reality that he had never loved any of them. Only her. And with time, he hoped he could learn how to say that verbally, as she deserved. "I humbly apologize for any other truths I have led you to believe these last few years."

The young woman smiled brightly and laughed lovingly; giving him a brief glimpse of the joy he would know for the rest of his life. "Don't worry about me, my lord. I'm not so easily broken as that."

His lips twitched, threatening to smile fondly down at her. "I know."

And so in that moment they pledged to be married without ceremony or ritual. But it was enough. Sesshoumaru had the woman he needed. His other half. He would not require anything else.

Later that day when Myouga read his father's will and presented the tetsusaiga to a stunned and dismayed Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru found himself able to keep a straight and stoic face while everyone else gasped and immediately began whispering about the hidden meanings behind Inutaisho's decision. Glancing over their heads, his eyes purposefully landed on a far corner of the throne room where a young woman stood with her hands clasped before her, her head bowed demurely in respect, occasionally looking up enough to meet his gaze and give him a smile of reassurance and love.

A strange, relieved sensation released the tension in his gut, and Sesshoumaru almost pitied his brother for the burden he had been handed, the mantle of responsibility suddenly gone from his own shoulders in the process. It wasn't exactly the life he'd dreamed of or thought he wanted, and yet, suddenly, there was such freedom in not being High King that Sesshoumaru could almost think it was worth it.

And then she smiled again, and any lingering doubts melted away. He knew it was worth it if he could have her by his side.

Rin, the courageous woman he had guarded and protected since she was a child would be his wife. His own lips twitched again in response to her grin, though he managed, as always, to keep it at bay. Only his eyes gave away any of his feelings, and even then the message was coded. Only Rin had the key.

But that was all he needed. It would take time, and there would be days, he was sure, when he would resent not only Inuyasha, but also the father that put him on the throne. Still, in that moment, as he saw his brother's stunned and more than a little angry face, Sesshoumaru realized it would be all right. Rin would help him through the hard times in her own way…and perhaps his father had granted him more with her presence than he had taken away when he denied him the throne after all.


	3. Little Bundle of Surprises

**Author's Notes:** All right, here's the next one-shot for everyone! I know, I keep promising an update on "Impossible Dreams", and it still remains as elusive as ever, but I mean it when I say I am working on it. I'm just struggling with a bit of writer's block in how to finish the chapter, so I've had to approach it from a few different angles to try and break through the barrier. Hopefully that will be up in a few days.

This is an Inuyasha/Kagome piece (high demanded) of when Kagome learns she's pregnant and tells Inuyasha. I tried to stay true to the story, but also give it a little bit lighter tone since this should be a relatively happy occasion. I'm not entirely happy with it, but I can't see how much more I can change at this point. So enjoy!

**Dedication: **Eowyn Organa; Moonglow Gal

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Title: Little Bundle of Surprises

Author: dolphingirl0113

One-shot

Rating: PG-13 (rated for language and implied sexual situations)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, nor do I take credit for any of the historical facts, ideas, or realities mentioned below.

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As a young girl, Kagome Higurashi had always longed for true love, freedom, and marvelous adventures that involved racing her beloved white mare across the country as she rescued the innocent from harm. She and her older sister Kikyou had even gone so far as to try and run away from the Higurashi mansion at the ages of nine and twelve, bow and arrows in hand, dressed in gowns they'd borrowed from some of the younger servants who still had a sense of adventure. Unfortunately, a few of the servants had been too young and still very loyal to the lady of the house, meaning the Higurashi sisters hadn't made it any further than the front gates before they were stopped by the Marquess herself, dressed in her sleeping attire, her pixie-short hair sticking up in several directions, a frown on her face as she commanded her rebellious children back to their bedrooms. Thus had ended Kagome's innocent delusions of grandeur.

Within six months Kikyou had been sent to court to "complete her education", and Kagome had formally been given a stern, gray-haired tutor with a horrendous cough, replacing her mother who had up until that moment personally seen to her education. It was no secret that the Marquess had always spoiled all three of her children horribly, but it was also no secret that after her complacency nearly cost her the lives of her beloved daughters the older widow became much more strict.

Still, Kagome was happy, and soon her anger and frustration faded away to be replaced by the excitement of the knowledge her sickly tutor brought with him, educating her as though she were a son, and not merely a second-born daughter since her mother insisted to the man that the deceased Lord Higurashi had desired for all three of his children to receive an equal education.

Gradually, however, her sense of adventure began to return, as Kagome grew more adept at reading; soaking up the English stories of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table just as the sponges in her bathes soaked up water. She longed for her own loyal knight, her own crusade, and her own unique path in life.

Unfortunately, the path life had in store for her would reveal the cold and cruel reality that adventure is never so fun or rewarding, that knights aren't always free to give their hearts to their maidens just as maidens aren't necessarily free to accept them, and, more than anything, that the heroines in a story don't always live to see another day.

Arriving at court an embittered sixteen year old woman who believed herself trapped in a loveless marriage and a loveless life, Kagome was immediately swept away on the tides of romance, scandal, and intrigue as she not only did the unthinkable and fell in love with the High King, but also earned the heart of the man behind the crown, subsequently stealing him away from her beloved sister Kikyou. For almost a year she would feel nothing but strain, stress, and grief as she struggled to choose between what was right morally and what was right for her heart. And in the end she would realize that she made the wrong choice as she was forced to watch Kikyou stand trial for ridiculous charges of treason, and then watch as the proud woman succumbed to the sweat, which she contracted while in the Tower, her unborn child dying with her.

No, her own adventure had ended up being absolutely nothing like she'd dreamed and longed for as a young girl of nine when she'd bravely saddled her horse and prepared to ride out and rid the world of evil once and for all with nothing more than a child's bow and arrows.

Mercifully, once the tragedy that had so thoroughly rocked her world began to numb in her heart enough that she could at least continue to live, she discovered the peace of a boring, mundane life, and the benefits of knowing exactly what would happen from day to day. She thanked God daily for giving her Inuyasha, the High King and her lover, along with her loyal friends and family, always there for her as she slowly began to assimilate back into the routines of the court; attending evening dinners, dancing at masques, riding her horse on a daily basis, writing letters to her new allies throughout the country, mending clothes for the poor, helping embroider alter cloths for the church, and otherwise moving about in regular court society.

If everyone knew she was the mistress of the King (and she had no doubt that they did) they at least had the decency for once to remain discreet about it. There were no blatant rumors, no gossip, no whispers, and no pointed stares as she walked through the halls. In fact, people frequently inclined their heads in respect of all that the young woman had accomplished, and if they had to whisper about anything, it was usually that she deserved happiness after suffering for so long to save poor, deceased Kikyou from her sins.

And that's unfortunately exactly how people referred to the two sisters any more. There was poor, deceased Kikyou and innocent, brave Kagome. Both were to be pitied just as much as they were to be admired and respected. And Kagome supposed that would have to do, though she suspected Kikyou's pride would have recoiled at the idea of anyone referring to her as "poor" anything.

She always chuckled at the thought, frequently at inconvenient times such as dinner, thus receiving curious and puzzled stares from those around her, including from Inuyasha, though he usually just cocked an eyebrow before shaking his head and looking away to continue conversing with Miroku, who was as always at his side just as Sango was loyally at hers.

Thus was Kagome's life; completely boring and mundane…and absolutely perfect for someone who's heart had been pushed and pulled in so many directions that it longed only for peace.

Unfortunately, fate was yet again prepared to be unkind.

It happened one morning in the middle of May, during the celebrations to welcome spring and summer. Flowers were everywhere throughout the castle, placed there by the court children who were always brought to visit their families at such a time, and the normally lonely stone hallways were filled with joy for a time, the scent of life and joy everywhere as girls laughed and curled their hair, leaving it free of clips and bonnets to entice the young men in a romantic dance as old as time.

In the midst of this happiness, Kagome woke feeling ill and calling for Yuka desperately. Her loyal maid came instantly with a chamber pot, and held it patiently while her mistress thoroughly emptied her stomach several times.

Finally, lifting her head, Kagome rolled back fully into her bed, her head sinking heavily into her pillow, the hair at her temples damp with the sweat of her exertion. "I'm sorry, Yuka," she whispered when she finally dared to speak, feeling ashamed that she had vomited for at least the sixth time in the last few weeks, nauseous at all other times and appearing weak and dizzy everywhere she went.

The young maid waved a hand impatiently as she quickly took the chamber pot to the other side of the room where it would not disturb her mistress. "You needn't apologize for things beyond your control, my lady. We all have times when our stomachs simply don't agree with us."

"But mine has been disagreeable for several weeks now," Kagome replied in annoyance as she used her elbows to prop herself up, Yuka immediately placing a pillow behind her back. She couldn't help but smile at that. "How you spoil me, Yuka."

The woman winked in response, vainly trying to keep a serious expression on her face. "If I don't, then who will? Your mother is back in the country, your brother has become infatuated with some little wisp of a girl, and that worthless King of yours is off running errands in the South and East."

Kagome winced at Yuka's choice of words. "They're a little more important than just errands, Yuka. He and Bankotsu felt it was necessary to firmly reprimand Kagura once and for all for her role in bringing Naraku back to court. She may be a Queen in her own right, but Inuyasha felt it important to make her understand that didn't mean she was above the law and above common sense and duty."

"If you ask me, I think those men are just looking for someone to blame for what happened so they can really put the matter behind them." Yuka grimaced and began folding a blanket Kagome had been embroidering the night before, currently abandoned over the end of her bed, carefully extracting the needle as she did so. "I don't understand why people can't just accept that the whole thing was a mistake on the part of everyone, and we can do nothing more than learn and move on."

Kagome's expression saddened, though she appreciated the way Yuka so skillfully avoided mentioning Kikyou's name. Even though she'd slowly been able to move back into the mainstream world, there was still a painful scar over her heart that ached every day of her life. The last thing she needed was someone completely reopening the wound.

"Kagura still should answer for her part in all of it, I suppose," Kagome muttered absently, distracted by the beautiful morning, the rays of the sun trickling through her open windows to the sound of birds, a slight breeze rustling the trees and vines she knew were lining the outside walls of the palace.

Such moments were always bittersweet, since she knew of someone very dear who could no longer see such a sight. "Although perhaps what she is able to see is even better," she whispered to herself.

"What's that, my lady?" Yuka looked up from where she was placing the neatly folded blanket on a nearby chair.

"Nothing." Kagome shook her head to rid it of such thoughts. "When is Inuyasha expected back today, Yuka?"

The woman shrugged. "Who knows? Probably earlier than he said, though, since you know how he secretly misses you." She winked.

Kagome groaned at the implication before playfully throwing a pillow at her friend. "Cease such fowl thoughts, Yuka."

"You don't know what I was thinking!" The maid protested innocently, though Kagome knew exactly what had been running through the maid's mind. After all, she was the one who always secreted Kagome out of the King's chamber in the mornings when no one was looking.

Shaking her head and chuckling, Kagome began to rise from the bed as she sucked in a deep breath to steady her spinning mind, accustomed now to the dizziness that greeted her every morning. Yuka immediately offered her a glass of cool water, which she accepted, and then she extended her arms for her blue silk robe to cover her white sleeping gown, her long ebony hair falling down her back in a tight braid.

Inuyasha always preferred her hair down and free, she thought absently, but she also had to admit that it was getting long enough to be an inconvenience, so whenever he was gone she didn't hesitate to clasp it down her back.

"How are you this morning? Any better?" Yuka inquired after a time, watching as a little color returned to Kagome's cheeks while she drank the water and adjusted to standing.

"I suppose I'm alright," she finally replied when she was finished. "Though I am very confused about why I'm feeling this way. I don't feel ill in any other way. I can still eat, I don't have a fever…I don't understand."

"Perhaps I should call for a doctor?"

"No." Kagome laughed. "The last thing I need is for Inuyasha to fly into one of his protective moods, and if I call a physician he'll do just that. Ever since Kik…" She trailed off and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Ever since that time, he's been paranoid about physicians. It's like he doesn't trust them."

"Hn," Yuka grunted and straightened the cap on her head, covering her short brown hair though a few wisps escaped around her ears and forehead. "He needs to get over that fast. Physicians do the best they can."

"I know." Another wave of nausea hit, and Kagome almost called for the chamber pot again, but mercifully the sensation passed. Still, she was left very pale. "Perhaps I should summon the physician."

"Yes, perhaps…" Yuka looked like she was deep in thought. "But what do you suppose could be the matter? You don't seem all that sick. If I didn't see you eat myself, I'd say you were just suffering from malnutrition."

"I know, it is very strange." She gratefully sat down on one of her plush couches for some relief. "It's been going on now for how long?"

Yuka appeared to think for a moment. "I'd say about four weeks off and on."

"Four weeks…" Kagome frowned. "So perhaps it's time for my courses and this is a precursor to that?"

"A precursor that lasts four weeks?" Yuka looked skeptical at best. "My lady, that would mean your body has been preparing for your courses ever since your last cycle." Kagome started to nod, but then froze suddenly, her eyes going wide. Yuka saw her fingers turn white as she gripped the arm of the couch and frowned in response. "My lady? What's wrong?"

"It can't be…" Kagome whispered the words, and it suddenly became very difficult to breathe.

How could she have been so blind? How could she not have seen? Not have noticed? Yuka had mentioned her previous month's courses, and yet…Kagome now realized she'd had no courses the previous month. In fact, she was having trouble recalling the last time she'd been forced to refuse Inuyasha because of her body's monthly ritual.

And she'd been waking up ill each morning for the past four weeks…

"Oh god…" She breathed. It couldn't be possible, yet all the signs were adding up and pointing in one direction. A direction she really didn't want to go.

But she may not have a choice now.

"My lady?" Yuka's voice was tentative as she reached out and placed a hand over Kagome's, her steady fingers highlighting how unnaturally clammy her mistress' were.

"Oh Yuka…" She looked up with wide, deep eyes. "It's not possible, is it?"

Looking utterly lost, Yuka simply blinked for several silent seconds before speaking. "What's not possible, Kagome?"

The young woman looked up with wide eyes, their dark colors swirling with terror, awe, and wonder all at once. "Is it possible that I'm with child, Yuka?"

The chambers went immediately still and silent as both women looked at one another, blinking rapidly and swallowing, trying desperately to regulate their breathing and calm their racing hearts. But the possibility had been put forth, and now that it was out it became more and more likely.

A single question hung in the air: what would happen now?

Unfortunately, just as Yuka opened her mouth to try and reassure her childhood friend that all would be well the door swung open and Gideon came striding in dressed proudly in the blue and white colors of Kagome's family, obviously having no qualms about alerting the world to where his loyalties lay. Both women swung their heads to face him in dismay, and he immediately sensed that something was wrong. "My lady, you look pale…is everything alright?"

Yuka heaved an annoyed sigh and placed her hands on her slender hips. "No, Gideon, everything is not alright! My lady has been sick these past several weeks, it concerns her, and to add insult to injury you have possibly the worst timing ever!"

Accustomed to her temper by then, Gideon simply put up a placating hand and smiled calmly. "Dearest, I meant no offense; I'm merely concerned about Lady Kagome, as are we all. I'm well aware of the fact that she's been feeling ill these past few weeks."

"Well what do you want then?" Yuka demanded.

"Want?"

"Why are you here, Gideon?"

"Oh!" He seemed to recall where he was, and even with the shock of being with child Kagome still found it possible to smile at his antics. "I'm here to announce that His Majesty has just returned and should be here momentarily."

And just like that the smile was gone again. Kagome simply couldn't face Inuyasha…not now. The shock was too great. She didn't want to worry him after he'd already suffered so much. "Yuka…I can't see him. I just can't. Not right now." Her voice was small and weak and very uncharacteristic of her.

Immediately the maid was at her side with an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, my lady; you don't have to see him right now."

"Um…actually…" Gideon started to speak, but Yuka silenced him with a single icy stare.

"The King will simply have to wait," she announced.

"Wait…?"

"Yes, Gideon; tell His Majesty that Kagome will see him later, but is currently indisposed."

The poor man's eyes grew very wide as images of a red-eyed Inuyasha flared up in his mind. Those claws of his weren't exactly dull either... "Um…Yuka…that may not be as simple as you think. He's already on his way, and…"

"I don't care where he is," she interrupted. "My lady is not in a position to entertain company."

"He's a little more important than normal company," Gideon muttered.

"What?'

"Nothing."

"Then go tell His Majesty he'll have to wait to see Kagome."

"But Yuka!"

"No buts!"

"Dearest, please…"

"Don't "dearest" me, Gideon. How often do I ask you to do anything for Kagome?"

At that even Kagome couldn't help but snort in a very undignified fashion. Not only did Yuka ask her poor lover to do such errands as fetch Kagome's food and clean linens, but she also frequently used him to deliver important (and usually bad) news to the King on Kagome's behalf. And by the expression on Gideon's face, it was obvious he was doing a tally of his own as silence filled the room.

"Oh for pity's sake," the young maid sighed in exasperation and shot to her feet, taking Gideon to a far corner and whispering fiercely in his ear. Kagome didn't have long to wonder what they were talking about since the man's eyes immediately grew very wide as he peered around Yuka's shoulder to look directly at Kagome…or, more specifically, her belly.

"Truly?" He swallowed and blinked several times before leaping to Kagome's side and taking her hand in his as he fell to his knees. "My lady, such news is a blessing for your house! A royal child!"

"A royal bastard is more like it," Kagome muttered. "I'm not married to the King, remember?"

"As if he would refuse to marry you," the young man guffawed sincerely.

Kagome opened her mouth to reply, but at that exact moment there came a knock at the door, and in a rare display of comical panic, Yuka hit the floor as though the very earth was shaking. Everyone remained silent, Gideon desperately trying to reign in his laughter at the sight of his lover, normally so composed and in control, cowering behind a chair with her head under her clasped hands, clearly not having forgotten the intimidating experience from the last time she'd tried to deny the King entrance to Kagome's chambers.

"Kagome? Are you in there?" They all heaved a collective sigh of relief as they recognized Sango's voice.

"Yes; come in Sango."

The door opened and revealed not only Sango, but Miroku as well (not that it was a surprise since the man trailed after his intended as though he feared she'd change her mind at any moment and needed to be there to convince her otherwise).

"Kagome, how are you feeling today?" Sango immediately inquired after her friend.

"Not much better, but I'll manage," Kagome bravely smiled.

"Well I'm glad you're at least not hugging the chamber pot any more," Miroku added in his usual blunt manner. "I don't think Inuyasha would care for that very much. He's back, you know…" But the black-haired man immediately trailed off into puzzled silence as he spotted Yuka on the floor. "What on earth are you doing down there?"

The maid glanced up and turned immediately red. "Um…I…"

"I just heard that Inuyasha's back," Kagome hastily covered for her friend. "Gideon came here immediately. Have you seen him? Is he well?"

Miroku shrugged. "Of course. When is he not well? Aside from his temper tantrums, of course…"

"Miroku!" Sango elbowed him affectionately in the side. "Such treasonous words!"

He looked absolutely unrepentant. "Well it's true."

Kagome chuckled. "Between the two of us, Miroku, we should have been thrown in the Tower about ten times each."

"Yes, well…I know he would never put you there, Lady Kagome, but I on the other hand am an entirely different matter." They all laughed about that before Miroku pushed ahead. "So would you care to explain exactly why there was so much tension when we entered the room, and why Yuka was on the floor looking like she was preparing for the apocalypse? Unless you're practicing a new kind of bow that I'm unaware of, Yuka…"

"Watch it, Miroku," the maid hastily snapped back, her temper covering her humiliation as she moved back to stand beside Kagome, smoothing out her simple skirts as she did so and trying to appear as dignified as she possibly could.

Everyone went silent, telling the newcomers that something was indeed wrong, and this time it was Sango who raised an eyebrow in concern. "Kagome? Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing!" She replied in a far too cheerful voice.

"Indeed." Sango and Miroku replied together, both comically crossing their arms in a parallel fashion. They really were a match made in heaven no matter how much Sango tried to insist she'd agreed to the engagement under protest.

"Well…" Kagome bit her bottom lip. "Actually, I suppose there is a small problem now that you mention it…"

Sango's eyebrows disappeared behind her hairline at that one. "Just how small, Kagome?"

"Um…well…you see…" She fumbled with her hands for a moment before decidingg to just take the plunge. These were her best friends, after all. "I think I'm with child."

The couple blinked several times in stunned silence before Miroku cleared his throat. "I see. So is the child Inuyasha's?"

The immediate sound of skin smacking skin could be heard as Sango gave him a good whack on the cheek. "How can you ask that, you fool? Of course it's Inuyasha's baby! You dare to imply that Kagome would take more than one lover?"

"Sango, dearest…" He pleaded with her as he backed away from her enraged stare. "I meant no offense. It just sort of came out…really…" When she backed off slightly he dared to rise back to his full height. He turned back to Kagome. "How far along are you then?"

"I don't honestly know," Kagome replied with a shrug. "I haven't really been keeping track of my courses…obviously…or else I would have noticed this a lot sooner."

"Well I'm happy for you, Kagome," Sango proclaimed.

"You are?"

"Of course! A baby! You'll be such a wonderful mother!"

"Without a husband, Sango?"

"Ha! As if Inuyasha would need any sort of an excuse to marry you!"

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Everyone seems to be saying that these days…"

"Well it is true," Miroku chimed in. "He's refrained from proposing only out of fear that it would offend you since…well…"

"I understand," Kagome replied with a sigh, not really wanting to be reminded of the fact that her sister had been his wife first. It was something that would trouble her for many years to come, even knowing they had never consummated their marriage together.

There was another pregnant pause, quite literally.

"So…um…" Miroku yet again managed to awkwardly break the silence. "Sango dear, do you suppose that since Kagome is now pregnant, that we could…you know…"

She turned and looked at him steadily. "Excuse me? What on earth are you talking about, Miroku?"

For the first time he actually seemed nervous. "Well, it just seems like Inuyasha will surely marry Kagome after he hears the news, and that would mean it would not be considered so terribly wrong for other couples to risk pregnancy by…well…you know, before they are married…um…"

Comprehension slowly dawned, and Kagome watched as her friend's face turned several shades of red, each darker than the last, before flying at her betrothed again. "You unrefined, pigheaded pervert! How dare you imply such a thing! As if I would ever let you put your hands on me! You'll never take them off if I do!" She sniffed haughtily. "I'm not sure you'll even be allowed after you're married, since that's the case!"

"Sango!" She smacked him over the shoulder. "I only meant that…" She smacked him again, and again, though Miroku admirably held his ground. "Please, dearest, you're overreacting!"

She was fuming now. "I'm overreacting? _I'm overreacting?_ Do you know what you just implied in front of our friends, Miroku? I'll strangle you for this, I swear I will!"

Deciding she needed to intervene before Sango did just that to the King's right-hand man, Kagome unsteadily rose to her feet and called for silence. "I hardly think that's necessary, you two. Please calm down." They both looked at her, and she grinned impishly. "Though I must say, I didn't know that you two had never…well…"

They both had the decency to blush at that particular implication.

Another knock, this time stronger, came at the door, and everyone turned as still as stone, knowing that unmistakable sound anywhere. It was Inuyasha.

"Um…Yuka, why don't you get the door," Kagome whispered. "And remember, I'm not here."

Yuka nodded and reluctantly made her way towards the door, clearly not looking forward to another confrontation with the High King.

Opening the door, she was greeted by Inuyasha's trademark scowl, his amber eyes harsh, though there was a trace of softness that had steadily been growing behind the mask which everyone knew was due to Kagome's influence. "Um…Your Majesty…what a surprise!"

He raised an eyebrow at that. Since when had his coming to call on Kagome ever been a surprise? "Indeed. I'd like to speak with Kagome."

"She's not here, sire."

At that Inuyasha actually rolled his eyes skyward, praying for patience. It all felt a little too familiar, and he knew he'd caught the sound of her voice a moment before. Besides, he smelled two other familiar men in the room, and that idea was enough to make him growl and demand entrance. "Yuka, please don't make me knock down the door."

"Kagome wouldn't like that very much, Your Majesty," Yuka replied shakily, swallowing in a nervous sign that told him she was definitely hiding something.

Having no patience, Inuyasha did the first thing he could think of. "Miroku!" He called out to the man he knew was in the room.

"Inuyasha?" He appeared around the corner of the door innocently.

"Where is Kagome?"

"Kagome?" Miroku had the decency to look puzzled. "I have no idea."

"She's not in her room?"

"No."

"But you are?"

"It would appear so."

Inuyasha growled and grit his teeth. "Why?"

Miroku smiled innocently. "I like it in here. Kagome's rooms are so pleasant. She decorates them so beautifully."

"Indeed." He swallowed and turned his attention back to the maid. "Yuka, I can smell Sango beyond the door, along with that ridiculous man of yours, and I refuse to believe they're all in there but Kagome isn't. So open the door or I will send you to the Tower where you can learn a lesson in proper etiquette when addressing royalty, something I believe you are sorely lacking."

Yuka swallowed again, but did not budge, though she did chance a glance over her shoulder, confirming Kagome was indeed inside. And then, finally, she moved away and allowed the door to swing open as she scrambled away from his sharp gaze.

He casually swept over Sango and Gideon (who was sitting too close to Kagome for Inuyasha's taste) before his eyes settled on Kagome herself, looking radiant as ever in her morning robe and sleeping gown, though her hair, to his disappointment, was restrained in a braid instead of falling freely down her back as he preferred.

She met his gaze confidently. "Still intimidating my servants, Inuyasha?"

He grunted. "They need to be taught a lesson."

"I believe they are already perfect as they are."

"Keh." He took a few more steps into the room. "And what are all of you doing in here? Having a private party?"

"Actually…"

"That was a rhetorical question, Miroku."

"Of course."

Kagome sighed. "You seem to be in a bad mood, Inuyasha. Did you have a bad trip?"

"I had to deal with that ridiculous Queen Kagura for almost two weeks, Kagome. I hardly think that would put me in a good mood."

She grinned flirtatiously. "But I would think coming back home to see me should clear up your anger in an instant."

His eyes softened slightly at that, though he was unaware, and he allowed his eyes to drift possessively over her entire body, making his claim. But then he froze, noticing for the first time how pale her skin was, the scent of vomit in the air, her brow slightly damp from sweat. The soft look vanished to be replaced by concern as he crossed the room in one leap that startled everyone else. "Kagome!" He took her in his arms and began touching her face, her cheeks, and her hair. "What's wrong? You're ill!"

"I'm fine, Inuyasha," she replied, though he could easily see through the lie. There was something he was missing…but what was it? He'd only been gone three weeks; what could have possibly gone wrong in that short time?

"I don't believe you," he snorted, and continued his inspection of her body, sniffing occasionally and trying to cut through the heavy smell of roses telling him she'd been taking regular baths.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed, scandalized that he would touch her so in front of her friends. "Honestly, I'm fine!"

"Something's wrong, Kagome. I can tell. Now what is it?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"You're lying."

"Inuyasha…"

"Kagome's pregnant!" The other four occupants of the room finally exclaimed in exasperation. Inuyasha's hands froze just above her breasts, and she turned a bright shade of crimson for that and many other reasons.

Finally the hanyou managed to turn around and look at his friends. "Kagome's what?"

"She's pregnant," Sango replied, stepping forward slightly. "She is carrying your child."

Inuyasha blinked so many times people began to wonder if he'd lost the ability to understand English. Finally he exhaled a long breath and took in another…and then another…and another…

Whirling around, he looked at the woman he loved more than life itself with a suddenly fearful, uncertain expression. "You're certain?" If the situation weren't so serious, Kagome could have laughed…Inuyasha looked like the child that had done something horrendous and had just been caught.

As it was, however, she kept her face sober and carefully blank of all emotion; frankly uncertain of just how this news would affect the man she loved. She knew he would never reject a bastard child, but even so, he may not be happy about it either (and she wouldn't blame him either way). "Yes Inuyasha…I'm certain. At least, mostly certain. I don't see what other explanation there could be in this case."

He took another deep breath before exhaling again, and this time he moved forward so that his forehead touched hers as he placed a tentative hand over her belly and closed his eyes. Searching beyond his thoughts and the racing of his heart, he calmed his mind and took a few deep breaths through his nose, forcing his senses to cut through all the surrounding smells until he found what he was looking for. Subtle, easy to miss, it was there nonetheless, and the reality brought a stupid grin to the hanyou's normally stoic face.

"Kagome…" He pulled away slightly and framed her face with his hands. Her wide, intelligent dark eyes looked back up at him with complete trust. "I'm going to be a father…" The wonder and awe in his voice humbled everyone in the room.

"Yes, Inuyasha," Kagome replied with a shy smile. "Your child."

"Our child," he corrected. "A pup like me."

She laughed at that. "I don't know if I like the idea of any son or daughter of mine being referred to as a pup, but we can discuss that later."

"So I suppose now we'll have to get married." Her body immediately stiffened, and Inuyasha knew he'd said something wrong.

"You suppose?" Kagome narrowed her eyes slightly and stepped back, just out of his reach. "Do you have to sound so thrilled about it?"

"Kagome…" She moved further away and this time he clearly saw Sango and Yuka shaking their heads in disappointment while Miroku and Gideon just looked confused while cowering and giving him subtle signs of encouragement under the noses of their lovers. Inuyasha sighed. "What the hell did I saw now, woman?"

Tears came to her eyes. "You just had to propose that way, didn't you?" Kagome was no fool. She knew that it couldn't exactly be romantic and planned since the poor man had no idea before that moment she was even pregnant, but still…he could have at least tried to make it sound like a little less of a chore to marry her. Now, her already unstable hormones raged and she teetered dangerously between absolute despair and dangerous rage. "Just once can't you do something the normal romantic way?"

Inuyasha blinked. "What?"

"Ugh, you're hopeless!"

This time the hanyou was ready and responded in kind, not appreciating feeling so humiliated in front of his friends. "Well it's not like you did the best job of telling me about this, woman! You weren't even going to tell me, instead hiding in your room, and it was your friends who told me, not you! So don't accuse me of being inappropriate!"

"Maybe I didn't want to tell you right away because I wanted to make it special, Inuyasha," Kagome snapped back, hugging herself with her arms. She looked so vulnerable dressed in her sleeping attire while everyone else was already dressed for the day. Still, she stood up to the situation with the usual defiance he'd come to expect from her. The defiance that always sparked so much love and admiration in his heart. "You, on the other hand, just don't think! 'I suppose we have to get married'? What kind of a statement is that for a woman who's been with you through thick and thin these past fourteen months? Hm? Is that your idea of romantic?"

"Damn it, woman, you're not being fair! And if this is what I have to look forward to for the next nine months, then maybe I'll just move away until after the pup is born!"

"It's a baby, you baka!" And that's all it took for Kagome to collapse into tears, sitting down on a luxurious couch and rocking back and forth.

Uttering several oaths against his family, against women, and against God for creating said women, Inuyasha quickly crossed the room and reached Kagome's side, kneeling before her and putting his hands over hers. "Kagome, please…I hate seeing you cry. Please don't."

She sniffed. "Would you really leave me, Inuyasha?"

He swore again, and her eyes narrowed, causing him to gulp. "Of course not, Kagome. I would never leave you. I shouldn't have said that."

"And…?"

"And what?"

Her eyes narrowed further, if that were possible. "And you're sorry for proposing to me in the way you did…if you can even call that a proposal…right?"

Muttering something only he understood, Inuyasha stared at the floor for several moments in silence, wishing a hole would open up and swallow him before he was further humiliated in front of his friends, whose stares were beginning to annoy him just as much as he was distressed by Kagome's tears.

Whirling around, he glared at them all in defiance. "Do you eavesdroppers mind? I'd like a little privacy! It's bad enough that you all knew about Kagome's condition before me, but now…"

"What's wrong with Kagome? Inuyasha, what did you do now?" Shippou chose that precise moment to walk in, looking around innocently. That was the final straw.

"_Get out now!"_ He bellowed, and everyone scrambled over each other to leave, Miroku dragging Shippou with him even as the kitsune demanded entrance to check on Kagome and make sure Inuyasha wasn't doing anything awful.

It wasn't until the doors finally closed that the hanyou felt like he could even breathe.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice now sounded uncertain, and he looked up to meet her wide eyes, clouded with fear, guilt and uncertainty. "I'm sorry. You…you don't have to marry me. I can get by just fine. I don't need…" His lips crushed hers, and all she could do was wrap her arms around his neck in response, her fears momentarily forgotten.

After several minutes Inuyasha lifted his head, savoring the feel of her arms once more around his neck, having sorely missed her while he was away, traveling with that arrogant Eastern King who, it was well known, was in love with Kagome. Inuyasha knew instinctively that Bankotsu's code of honor would never allow him to make a move, but even so, the hanyou still felt so insecure and undeserving of what he'd found in Kagome, and every day was difficult enough without being reminded of the fact that the woman could probably choose anyone in the country to be her husband besides him.

Running his thumbs over her cheeks to wipe away her tears, Inuyasha allowed his eyes to soften and the harsh lines of his mouth to curve upward in a gentle smile. "Kagome…of course I want to marry you. I don't think I've ever wanted anything so much in my entire life. I thought the question was if you'd want to marry me. I don't want you doing something because you feel it is your duty. I would take care of our pup…er….child, no matter what. And I would not love you any less, even if you decided you would want a different life."

And in that moment Kagome felt like he gave her all the romance she needed. No, he'd never gotten down on one knee (though technically he was currently on his knees to meet her eye to eye) and outright asked her, but then again, in all honesty if he'd done that Kagome would have started checking his food for drugs. Inuyasha just wasn't that kind of m an. But she loved him anyway. She loved him with her whole heart and soul.

Smiling brilliantly, she chuckled. "I don't think we'll ever get the hang of the whole unspoken communication thing, will we?" She looked down and ran her thumbs over her other fingers silently. "Of course I want to marry you, Inuyasha. I want to marry you more than anything. I just want us to marry for all the right reasons, not the wrong ones."

"I know." He placed a hand on her belly again, knowing soon he'd be able to feel it swell with their unborn pup. "But then again, I can't think of a much better reason than this, can you? I want our child to be born with wedded parents, so that no one can deny his or her claim to the throne when the time comes. And besides, I want my children to feel loved all their lives, without any shadow of doubt."

Kagome's eyes softened to molten pools of love and desire, and she decided her hanyou had never looked more appealing to her than he did in that moment. "I love you," she whispered as she reached for him and brought his lips back to meet hers again. "And Inuyasha?" She whispered against his mouth.

"Hm?"

"I guess you can call them pups if you want."

It was such a ludicrous thing to say, and Inuyasha found he couldn't contain his heartfelt genuine laughter as he threw his head back and savored the moment between them. "I love you, you beautiful, wonderful woman," he finally stated, firmly sealing his declaration with another kiss.

The doors banged open once more and all of their friends came spilling awkwardly into the room, clapping and cheering and otherwise showing their excitement and happiness for their friends.

"Congratulations, Inuyasha, I knew you'd get her eventually!" Miroku announced happily. "I just never thought you'd get a woman to bear your child before I did."

"Miroku!" Sango smacked him on the shoulder before stepping forward and shoving the hanyou abruptly to the side so she could hug Kagome. "I'm so happy for you, Kagome. You're like a sister to me, and I couldn't ask for more for your sake."

"Thanks, Sango," Kagome giggled.

"Hey!" Inuyasha looked positively livid where he sat on the floor. "I'm still the King here, and I thought I told all of you to get out!"

"You did, sire," Yuka calmly replied, allowing Gideon to place an arm around her waist. "But you didn't specify that we had to remain outside."

"You…" Inuyasha's growl was abruptly halted as a ball of fur landed in his face.

"Inuyasha, are you really going to be a father? Are you ready? Can you handle it? I promise I'll help whenever I can!"

"Get off of my face, runt!" Inuyasha all but screamed in protest, launching Shippou halfway across the room in retaliation. The little kitsune just stood up, shook himself off, and jumped onto the couch beside Kagome as if nothing had ever happened. "And the rest of you…don't you all know the meaning of privacy?"

They all went silently momentarily before unilaterally shrugging and replying honestly: "No."

That gave him pause, and Inuyasha suddenly just looked lost. "Oh."

Kagome's laughter suddenly rang throughout the room, and all who heard couldn't help but smile. There would soon be another royal wedding, and soon after, a royal child…but this time all could see that the union would be blessed, and that the struggle was final over for their friends…at least until Inuyasha had to change his first diaper. But that was an entirely different matter.


End file.
